As we mentioned before, the workshops on spirituality of dialogue focus in fostering the exchange of ideas and sharing of experiences between the participants. Therefore, in the last session of the afternoon, all participants had a one-hour group discussion on one of the three themes presented by our next three facilitators. Through the facilitators' input and the sharing that followed, the speakers invited the participants to discover the challenging vision of the Christian society presented in the encyclical, and to reflect on how we can turn the Gospel values into concrete faith practices when we face the conundrums of modern society. 

Engaging in social service requires a foundation of faith and spirituality
    In the afternoon the workshop proceeded with the presentation made by Sister Stephana Wei MMB (Executive Secretary of the Integral Human Development Committee of the Men and Women Religious Association of Taiwan.  She centered on the implications of “Fratelli Tutti” for Catholic Social Services. Sr. Wei has extensive experience in this field; she has served as the director of the “Rerum Novarum Social Service Center” for 22 years, and has been for many years a member of Human Rights, Women's Rights, and Gender Equality Committees in different departments of Taiwan government.
    At present, Catholic social service organizations include halfway homes for children and other children’s welfare related institutions, homes for the elderly, services for the physically and mentally handicapped, attention to aboriginal families, women’s service centers, minorities’ cultural and health stations, etc. Among them, the services for the physically and mentally handicapped, and providing health centers for the elderly are the most abundant. Sr. Wei also mentioned that, nowadays, foreign workers in Taiwan already enjoy five powers, productivity, health care, consumer, marketing ability and entrepreneurial ability, which are enough to enable them to ride the present social situation.
    Sr. Wei went through "A Stranger on the Road" (chapter 2 of “Fratelli Tutti") to present the reasons why engaging in social service requires a faith and spirituality foundation. The Pope quoted the parable of the Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke and invited us to make a daily choice: which passerby do you choose to be? If we choose to be just "passers-by" or "robbers on the road," our indifference will just keep the exploited or injured in a difficult setting for a long time. If our social services are only carried out in a professional manner, without real affection, we will not be able to help the needy. And if we are used to using hypocritical theories to criticize and satirize the weak who need help, it will only make the other party feel that their ideals are shattered, and more prone to fell into despair and stay stranded. The "charitable Samaritan" is the one who accompanies, supports, bears and helps the suffering and injured, and provides adequate support. Therefore, social service workers should also support the poor to enable them to live on their own, instead of keeping them relying on outside assistance for life.
    Following the encyclical teachings, Sr. Wei also reminded us that we should step out of the professional framework, be close to the injured, respect and appreciate the fragile in society, and support the other party’s decision even though sometimes it may be contrary to the Church’s understanding or teaching. Enhancing the fraternity of the whole person requires institutional reforms that transcend political, social, and economic pursuit of efficiency and productivity, so that we can truly focus on the quality of social services. The Pope emphasized unity and care. People should think and act at the community level, consider the well-being of everyone and take care of the vulnerable.
    In the encyclical, the Pope also cares about the welfare of migrant workers, who are forced to leave their original environment and country, and suffer physical and mental abuse, victims of violence and human trafficking. The Pope put forward four verbs to have in mind when accompanying migrant workers: acceptance, protection, development and integration, to give migrant workers sufficient training so that they can grow and contribute the society they are joining, instead of condemning them to isolated ghettos unable to participate. The Pope advocated opening up humanitarian corridors in refugee areas, providing them with opportunities for work and education, protecting minors and their families, and at the same time guaranteeing religious freedom.

Opening Churches’ doors to welcome those who want to listen the good news of Jesus
    Fr. Willy Ollevier CICM, came to Taiwan in 1971 and has been actively involved in social work and youth ministry for a long time. He is currently pastor of the Chinese Martyrs Shrine in Banqiao, New Taipei city. In his talk, Fr. Ollevier described from his personal experience, the overall situation of evangelization in the parish, from the children's Sunday school, summer and winter camps, the Youth in the Army, the classes for catechumenate, Hospital pastoral services, services for the poor, college teachers and students groups, and social youth groups, online Bible classes, etc. The doors of Banqiao Church are always open, 24 hours a day, inviting all the lay and priests who pass by to chat and have a meal enables the church to appeal everyone to come in for communion, prayer and mass.
    Fr. Ollevier specifically mentioned Pope Francis’ first apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel": We want to bring the gospel to the world, and we must open the door to welcome everyone to truly understand the good news of Jesus. In the encyclical "Fratelli Tutti", the pope also invites us to act together and put this encyclical at the center of our life, formation and evangelization ministry, to live out brotherhood in the current difficulties and to be witnesses of the Gospel by living out our faith. In the conclusion, Fr. Ollevier used five paintings by the German priest Sieger Koder to help us understand that Jesus is our Savior, and we need to become a community embraced by Jesus’ love that enables the faithful to become the seeds of evangelization.

Entrust yourself in the hands of Jesus
    The encyclical "Fratelli Tutti" by Pope Francis shows the Pope's profound understanding of spirituality and theology. In the fifth stage of the workshop, Fr. Elton Fernandes SJ, director of the Taipei Ignatius Spiritual Religious Center, enlightened us with a lecture on the topic [Fratelli Tutti and Faith Spirituality]. After a whole day receiving rich and valuable content, Fr. Fernandes invited us to talk with Jesus, through inspection and prayer, to enable ourselves to recognize the voice of Jesus, and pay attention to our inner feelings. Observing the image of the Holy Trinity of God and understanding the profound meaning of “incarnation”, that Jesus is the Son that entered the world, would allow us to see the glory of the Father and experience the love of the Father; through this encyclical, we can better realize how to bring it into practice.
   Fr. Fernandes directed us to focus our eyes on a slide with an image of the Holy Trinity. We encounter our Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in prayer, and express gratitude to Jesus in the heart for everything; we pray for the love of Jesus to shine on our hearts and help us focus on what Jesus wants us to pay attention to. He then invited the participants into reviewing their experience of joining the workshop: Which part touched your hearts most? How did this touch make you feel? In prayer and silence, we tell Jesus how do I feel, paying attention to Jesus’ response, listening to Jesus; asking Jesus for the forgiveness or healing that I need; through prayer, we were aware of how Jesus invited us to change our lives. Am I willing to cooperate with Jesus? what graces do I need (strength, wisdom, perseverance, healing...)? Let us choose to live according to Jesus' will and put ourselves in the hands of Jesus.
    We are particularly grateful to Professor Ku Weiying, Director of the Ferdinand Verbiest Cultural Association, and Lecturer Joseph Lam, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Leuven Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation, for co-hosting the workshop’s Q&A time, the dialogues, and the conclusion.

    Finally, and once more, we welcome the friends and supporters of Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation and Cultural Association. If you want to know more about the content of this last part of the “Third Workshop in the Spirituality of Dialogue”, you can access the full session through the following links (in Chinese):
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